Group provides advice about identity theft protection for older family members

Recently, an advocacy group provided some advice to people who are looking to provide identity theft protection to their parents.

According to the Identity Theft Assistance Center, older adults who are in the care of other people may be more susceptible to identity theft, although their children and others can take steps to help avoid the crime.

For example, a sudden ramping up of debit or credit card activity may be a sign that an account has been compromised.

"We see heart wrenching cases where older people are victimized by a con artist or a family member or friend and the anguish that follows," said Anne Wallace, IATC president.

The older adult in question may also make a misstep when it comes to protecting their account. For example, if a family member discovers that a senior has provided their account information, they may want to examine their checking account or credit card statements for any suspicious activity.

To achieve identity theft protection, people of all ages should be wary of any communications requesting their personal information, such as their Social Security number. Any suspicious phone calls or emails should be verified with financial institutions.

Posted in: Banking, Credit Cards

Banking News: This article was published on 6-1-2010 at 10:55 am.

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